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A Daddy's Day Treat

My father truly was a treat for me. In our home, he was king, King, KING!

This mem here is a short clip to serenade him. The longer gratis clips are inside Black Table. So, short clip shorter, let anyone else tell it, I came out of the womb talking and asking questions. This day however, (and maybe I was three or four, we still didn’t have a car), my father was taking me somewhere where we had to go by trolley car. It was one of those green cable trolleys I still see trolleying around West Philadelphia today.

We get on the trolley and of course I’m enamored. I always was. Pointing, asking questions, just way too thrilled about life. I hop up on the seat—a window seat—and my father sat beside me. Instantly I’m up on my knees in the next second, looking and pointing out the window, continuing with the rivulet of questions. Everyone on the trolley car hears me. I know this because my father answers using his inside voice, coaxing me to lower my voice.

“Daddy look! Daddy look! What’s that?” Or, “Daddy, why this.” This goes on for a few minutes until he leans into me and tells me to stop sticking my arm out of the window. He says if I keep sticking my arm out the window another car might come along and take it off. I pull my arm inside the window and slink down in the seat awestruck by this exposé.

Well, what do you know happens less than a minute after he says this?

Suddenly I see a man wearing a white dress shirt (I shall never forget), with one sleeve pinned in a way to cover a missing arm. My eyes open big. My mouth falls in my lap. I am in absolute horrific dire shock. I jump up and cry, “Daddy! Daddy! Look! That man stuck his arm out the window!” People on the trolley laughed. My father tried to calm me. And I still haven’t forgotten that moment spent with my father.

Fathers and Daddies everywhere,

Remember, it’s NOT the quantity of time you spend with your children. It’s the quality of time.

Thank you, Authors. I HIGHLY recommend reading from this list. I've read many phenomenal books this year, and these rose to the top. Every one of the memoirs, not all written in 2017, kick-started my mood, were humorous in spots, touched me to the core, and in my estimation... promises to grow a Smart, Engaged, Literate Society.

Ok, so I shaved my reading challenge for 2017... down by 10 books. It was hard, and for more reasons than missing the pure joy of reading.

At any rate, I’ve been looking over my to-read pile (again), which includes adding more books to ensure I am able to construct A STRONG Top 10 Favorites’ List this year. Now, I don’t have money but I’m throwing all the coins I do have on the list below. These are the stories I hope to credit for putting my mood in a good place. Bet on.

Tiz’ the season, and joyously I’m starting to get in the Christmassy spirit.

I can’t count the number of reading advocates springing up everywhere posting reading and writing inspiration I respect. One of my favorites are reading lists presented in categories; 100 Books that will have your brows glued to the ceiling, or 100 Books that will have you crying the ugly face… or laughing your B-Hind off, or that other other one, among 101 plenty of others… 100 Books You Should Read Before You Die.